The University of Arkansas at Monticello's Boll Weevils (4-5, 3-3) will look to continue its winning ways this Saturday as the team opens a season-ending home stand against 11th-ranked Valdosta State at Willis “Convoy” Leslie-Cotton Boll Stadium.

   The Boll Weevils are riding high after picking up consecutive road wins against West Georgia and West Alabama, with the UWA game coming in the televised GSC Game of the Week.

   “I don’t think you can put a price tag on how valuable that win on television was to our program,” Mathews said. “That game was televised in all of our recruiting areas and that’s tremendous positive exposure for us. Add to that the fact that we had a play make ESPN’s top ten plays on SportsCenter, it was huge for us.”

   Exposure aside, Mathews was very happy with what he saw from the UAM offense in the win against West Alabama.

   “Tim Harris was less than a hundred percent, and John L. didn’t play, but our offense just kept on rolling,” Mathews said. “We gave the ball to Johnny Polite on the ground, and both Clarence Denmark and Jywin Ceasar got some big catches for us.”

   Setting the tempo for the offense is the stellar play of the UAM offensive line.

   “Those guys have done a tremendous job all year,” Mathews said. “They’ve come up big opening up some holes for us.”

   Mathews also remains excited about the progress of freshman quarterback Scott Buisson.

   “He’s not the same guy he was earlier in the year,” Mathews said. “I’d love to have some games back. His maturity, his reads, and his running ability have all improved. It’s really come together for him after the Henderson State game. He had some big games before that, but he’s really taken it to another level since.”

   While Mathews saw some bright spots out of his defense, he knows that the UAM defense has room for improvement.

   “We held them under their average,” Mathews said. “But we did not play a good game defensively. We stopped what they do well, but what they do, scheme-wise, isn’t what we’re designed to stop. We need to get tougher.”

   The Boll Weevils will get one of it’s toughest tests to date this Saturday, when perennial powerhouse Valdosta State comes to Monticello.

   Statistically, Valdosta State is the top team in the Gulf South Conference in scoring offense and scoring defense, averaging 37.1 points per game and allowing just 14.1 points per game. The Blazers have not seen any letdown under first year head coach David Dean, as the Blazers have raced out to a 7-1 record to start the season, losing only to 10th-ranked Delta State.

   The DSU game is one that Valdosta State faithful would surely like to forget, as the Statesmen rallied from a 24-0 deficit on the road to take a 35-31 victory over the Blazers just three weeks ago.

   However, the Blazers have been on the winning side of some lopsided games as well as some close games thus far this season, topping Albany State 41-3 in the season opener before routing Fort Valley State 69-0 in week two. The Blazers won a close one in week three, topping Arkansas Tech 28-27 before rolling past Ouachita Baptist 31-3.

   Southern Arkansas gave the Blazers a test in Magnolia, but VSU escaped with a 33-21 victory; and since the Delta State loss VSU has won a pair of games against West Alabama, winning 37-0, and North Alabama, topping the Lions 27-24 Saturday.

   The trio of Michael Terry, Cedric Jones and Willie Copeland lead the Blazers offensively. Terry averages 92.0 yards per game on the ground; Copeland averages 240.2 yards per game passing, while Jones averages a GSC-best 86.8 yards per game receiving.

   “Right now when you look at this conference, you’ve got Valdosta State, North Alabama, and Delta State that are really up there,” Mathews said. “As the scores play out you can see they’re the best in the league. But I think everyone else is right up there, and I think that on any given Saturday we could beat any of them.  

   Kickoff from Willis “Convoy” Leslie-Cotton Boll Stadium is set for 6 p.m. Saturday. Tailgating will begin at 3 p.m., with the Walk of Champions scheduled for 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on KHBM-FM 93.7 in Monticello and simulcast online at www.uamsports.com.